A red door…

We all have issues…problems we have to deal with. The difference is in how we approach them. Some people are oblivious to the fact they have a problem. They talk about things that happened in their past and then don’t see the connection when the same issues are in their present. They feel they are just fine the way they are. If somebody else has an issue with them, it is always the other person’s problem. And not seeing a problem, they see nothing that needs to be fixed.

There are also people who recognize their problems and feel that they are unfixable. Whatever happened in their past that set up the baggage and issues they have now are so monumental that they could never possibly get over it or work through any of it. They wear a mask for the general public and never let anyone close enough to see the real person behind it. When they do come across someone who may actually care enough to pry off the mask they run like scalded dogs as far and fast as possible in the opposite direction.

Then there are the lucky few who recognize the need to not only admit their issues but to work through them. They start letting go of past baggage and realize how much lighter, happier, healthier they feel. It’s like being a teenager again. All that wasted energy and happiness build up inside until you feel no choice but to let it out. You want everyone around you to be as happy as you are.

If you’re like me, when you find that happiness, you don’t have a lot of patience for people who seem to enjoy wallowing in their misery. Don’t tell me you know what the problem is and then refuse to try and do anything to fix it. Don’t tell me how unhappy you are, how depressed you feel, and then refuse to talk about things that might help you feel better.

If you want my help, ask for it and then accept what’s offered. If you want me to understand you, talk to me. But above all else, be honest with yourself about what the problem is and whether or not you want to fix it. If you don’t want to be fixed, don’t invite me in. Because once you open that door I will walk through it.